The clients for this project needed more space to accommodate the needs of a growing family, but they were reluctant to leave their location in Venice - one of the few walkable neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

The solution was to maintain and remodel their existing 2000 square foot home, while creating a 1700 square foot addition and courtyard on the rear lane side.

With an ideal climate for much of the year, a primary design driver was to create a seamless connection between inside and outside, while eliminating the need for air conditioning.

To this end, a central sculptural staircase links the ground floor with the rooftop deck, while doubling as a chimney to draw cooling breezes through the house.

On the main floor, a sequence of pivoting doors opens the house to the courtyard, while on the second floor, windows fold back and full-height exterior panels slide into walls.

A system of cedar battens serve as a shading device along much of the addition.

The volume of the new master bedroom extends out from the second story, creating a carport below.

Its exterior is clad with a living wall system on three sides, visually tying together the courtyard greenery with the planted roof.

All landscaping is fed with a combination of captured rainwater and recycled domestic grey water.

The roof’s softscape is divided between a highly productive vegetable garden and indigenous, low-maintenance grasses and shrubs.

The roof also supports a solar panel array that is sufficient to meet household needs.

The house features a high-efficiency combination boiler, which supplies both radiant in-floor heating and domestic hot water.

A hot water recirculation loop makes hot water available “on demand,” while reducing consumption.

Other features include low-flush toilets and non-toxic, low-VOC finishes, which are used throughout the house.

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Comments

A well-made house, coherence. I like it. However after my taste, like to many textures, many types of finishes...

brycycle

well detailed, yet whimsical - great work Canada!

hk

Great design. Whats up with the empty lot next door?

LP

Love the details - from the artistic beauty to the materials, plus the graphics communicate the design thoroughly. Nice to see a beautiful, yet sensitive design! Obviously, a talented design team!

t

The floor in the shower is wicked!!! Great Molly that´s good workin

tanya telford – T

i like all the different textures, seems to make the place look more individual & personal. Some good eco friendly systems in place and use of greener materials. I want to find out about the cork rubber flooring (never heard of it before). Internally the house looks good too. Something authentic about it even with all the different aspects.